Awkward Smiles, Fluffy Mello, and Sweet Dreams
by Raachuu
Summary: Mello is the greatest detective and the caretaker for Wammy's, it's one of his jobs to dress as a giant fluffy bunny and take pictures with children. But when his first successor Near just wants to snuggle... Adult!Mello x Child!Near-- Easter Fanfic.


Mello sat on the cushiony thrown, a high arc laced with flowers hung over him. A woven basket filled with chocolate delicacies perched at his right hand on soft fake sparkly green grass.

A small weight was placed in his lap as Matt set down Mello's next victim, and he stared down through the eye holes in his fluffy mask. A small girl with delicate blonde curls and big green eyes stared up at him in horror.

A large padded paw placed itself on her back and patted gently, she screamed and began hitting her small fists on Mello's face, luckily protected by a heavy mask.

He sighed, and leaned over her to grab a small chocolate egg beside him, handing it to her. She refused it and continued screaming and crying. Mello glanced at Matt behind the camera, Matt just shrugged and positioned the camera. Pulling out his squeaky ducky, only used for drastic measures, he sqeazed it, and it made a loud quaking noise that resounded throughout the orphanage.

Big green eyes turned to stare at the duck in awe, small pink lips opened in a happy squeal, and she clapped her baby hands together, Mello gestured for Matt to snap the picture and a quick flash blinded him momentarily and the girl was whisked off his lap. Mello leaned a hand in his head, he hated this, but, as the world's greatest detective, and orphanage caretaker, it was his job to look after his successors.

Matt scooped up Mello's next child in line, and Mello glanced over to take a swift peek of who came next.

His first successor was placed on his lap, the small white haired boy held onto a small robot and twirled a soft curl around a small pale index finger. Near stared at the bunny he was roosted on.

"Near!" Matt called, a weak attempt to get Near to look at the camera. Near didn't turn, instead he buried his face in the soft fur of Mello's costume.

Matt stopped attempting to get the small boy to look at him and smiled gently. What an adorable sight. Mello looked down at his successor, Near, rubbing a hand on the small of his back, then hugged the boy tightly. Near rubbed his small pale face against Mello's chest and fixed himself until he was sitting on his knees, dropping his robot and grabbed the whiskers to Mello's bunny mask, stroking the soft white fuzz. An oversized paw gently caressed Near's cheek. The white-haired boy leaned into the paw, pushing his leg into a more comfortable position, whilst shifting the blonde man into an uncomfortable setting. A warm tingle spread throughout his face and downwards. Near shifted again, stimulating the southern region even more for the poor bunny.

A grunt wafted through the bunny mask and he transferred the small boy onto his right thigh, as far away from himself as possible. Large gray eyes searched the bunny mask for some sort of problem, but nothing but a goofy buck-toothed grin rewarded him. Near's thin pink lips turned upward in an awkward animated smile Mello hadn't seen in the small boy.

"Near!" Matt called again, "I need your picture, you can't stay on M-The Easter Bunny's lap forever!"

Near turned and Matt met with sweet gray optics, "Why?!" He asked with a naïve tone.

A tall blonde girl with impatient black eyes shifted her weight crossly, clearing her throat. Mello stared at her, she was Kemmie, almost old enough to leave the orphanage, why did she want to sit on the Easter bunny's lap? Maybe a child at heart in a grouchy girl's body?

He didn't want Near to leave, of course not, but he knew that it was the right thing to do, let other children have a turn.

"Other people want to sit with the Easter Bunny." Matt said reasonably.

"Near." Mello whispered softly, "The Easter Bunny loves you, but he loves all his children as well, I'll leave you some nice candy tonight. It's time to go."

Near nodded quietly and turned to face Matt's camera, blank gray eyes stared into the lens and the bright light flashed, and once Mello blinked Near was gone, replaced with Kemmie.

--

After all the children sat on his lap and pictures were taken, Mello was ready to go sit around with a chocolate bar and do nothing. But now that all the children were in bed and fast asleep, he had to give each of them their basket filled with delicious treats. As he did so every year, he remained in costume, because you never know when a child would wake up to the sound of candy-giving.

Matt had adorned a matching costume, only a warm soft brown and then they both hippity-hopped their way to give candy to children. Or… you could say stalking their way to drop candy on kid's bed stands. Whichever you prefer.

Mello saved his number one successor's room for last, finally entering the small boy's room. Large pink padded feet slapped the wood floor, as the Easter Bunny crept into the young prodegy's room. Placing the purple woven basket on top of the white nightstand, Mello sat on Near's bed and gently stroked his face. His younger successor was always so delicate and adorable.

Near felt the soft faux fur caressing along his face, it was the Easter Bunny! He stayed still for a while longer, but it wasn't until Easter Bunny stood up to leave when Near sat up straight, a strangled cry escaping his lips. Mello spun and slunk down on the bed beside him, wrapping his fur-clad arms around his young successor. Near then clambered onto the bunny's lap, clinging to broad fluffy shoulders tightly, almost as if he were to let go would he fall into a deep water-filled trench.

They snuggled for a few minutes when Near pulled away and pulled on the Bunny mask. Mello tried to pry his hands away when the white-haired boy flung off the mask. The little eight year-old blinked at his mentor.

"Near I-"

"You are the Easter Bunny?"

Mello didn't know what to say, when an adult was caught with this sort question, they just had to tell the truth.

"I-"

"That makes it even better." Near snuggled into the feathery chest known as Mello's.

As confusing as that was, Mello shrugged it off, and cuddled his face in Near's equally soft hair, rubbing his nose in the floral-scented tendrils.

"Mello, do you like me?" Near's voice was slightly muffled but audible.

What a question… of course Mello liked the small heir. But he was just a child, and Mello, in his late teens, it wouldn't be right. But nonetheless, Mello blurted, "Of course."

"Do you love me?" Near dragged his face away and stared sweetly into blue orbs.

Mello didn't want to answer that. He couldn't answer that question. If he answered yes, Near would insist he prove it, which was no bad thing, but someone could find out that the great detective, was having relations with a child, someone underage. That wouldn't be good either. Pedophilia ever mean anything? But if he said no, it would be a lie.

Near searched Mello's pondering face, hoping to find an answer. His heart began to hurt, but he didn't show it, he kept his face blank, though inside, he knew Mello didn't like him, if it was taking this long to answer.

"I don't know." He said at last, there, that was a sensible answer, if he didn't know, it wasn't really a lie, but Near would believe him.

"I can assist you in knowing." And with that, the younger boy's small lips crashed with the elder's, in a clumsy yet loving smooch.

Near pulled away and blushed and glanced down, "I saw that in a movie." And there went that awkward smile.

Mello smiled gently, "Near." The boy looked up and Mello pressed a kiss to his forehead, "Near, let's keep this our secret." He thumped the albino on the nose gently.

"On one condition, Mello."

Mello blinked, "What?" Raising a blonde eyebrow.

"You give me a kiss every night before bed, and I'll make sure your secret is safe."

Mello kissed his chin softly, "That won't be a problem."

Near smiled his oddball grin once more and cuddled up in Mello's warm chest again, "You're so fluffy Mello." He said, before slowly drifting off into a dream-filled sleep with lots of bunny Mello's, except this time, not much clothes were involved, not really a dream a little boy should have.


End file.
